IP Library Granted Patent US 12,201,073
Granted Patent B2
US 12,201,073 · App. 18/615,163 · Granted Jan 21, 2025

Grow module for plant vessels

Inventor: Kevin Robell (Hudsonville, MI)
Assignee: Maui Greens, Inc.
A01G9/0297A01C23/042A01G7/045A01G9/023A01G9/0299A01G9/247A01G9/249A01G27/003A01G29/00A01G31/06H05B45/10H05B47/105
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,201,073
App. No.
18/615,163
Granted
Jan 21, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A grow module, a plant growing system, and methods for using the same are disclosed herein. The grow module comprises a plurality of tray modules including a light tray over a growing tray. The light tray includes a lighting array and at least one sensor. The growing tray is adapted to hold a plurality of plant vessels. The grow module comprises a machine-readable identification. The grow module is configured to hold the plurality of tray modules in a vertically stacked configuration. The lighting array on the light tray is configured to provide light to the plurality of plant vessels on the growing tray in the grow module directly under the light tray.

Claims (28)

1. A grow module comprising:

a plurality of tray modules including a light tray over a growing tray,

the light tray including:

a lighting array; and

at least one sensor; and

the growing tray adapted to hold a plurality of plant vessels; and a machine-readable identification;

wherein the grow module is configured to hold the plurality of tray modules in a vertically stacked configuration; and

wherein the lighting array on the light tray is configured to provide light to the plurality of plant vessels on the growing tray in the grow module directly under said light tray;

wherein the plurality of plant vessels comprise:

an impervious outer vessel including a substrate in a root zone;

a cover over the impervious outer vessel;

a pervious membrane in contact with the substrate;

a nutrient chamber including nutrients, wherein the nutrient chamber is between the cover and the pervious membrane, and the nutrients are in contact with the pervious membrane; and

a pocket allowing plants, seeds or seedlings access to the substrate through an aperture in the cover and the pervious membrane.

2. The grow module of claim 1 , further comprising:

attachment and support hardware configured to adjustably secure and support the plurality of growing trays in the vertically stacked configuration within the grow module,

wherein the attachment and support hardware is further configured to adjustably secure and support the plurality of light trays, arranged such that each of the plurality of growing trays is positioned beneath one of the plurality of light trays.

3. The grow module of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of growing trays in the vertically stacked configuration have uniform vertical distances between each of the plurality of growing trays.

4. The grow module of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of growing trays in the vertically stacked configuration have at least one varying vertical distance between each of the plurality of growing trays.

5. The grow module of claim 4 , wherein the at least one varying vertical distance is accomplished by adjusting the number of growing trays in the vertically stacked configuration of the plurality of growing trays.

6. The grow module of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of light trays in the vertically stacked configuration have uniform vertical distances between each of the plurality of light trays.

7. The grow module of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of light trays in the vertically stacked configuration have at least one varying vertical distance between each of the plurality of light trays.

8. The grow module of claim 7 , wherein the at least one varying vertical distance is accomplished by adjusting the number of light trays in the vertically stacked configuration of the plurality of light trays.

9. The grow module of claim 1 , further comprising a grow module base.

10. The grow module of claim 1 , wherein the at least one sensor measures at least one of light, temperature, and humidity within the grow module.

11. The grow module of claim 1 , wherein the machine-readable identification is a barcode, a quick response (QR) code, a radio-frequency identification (RFID) device, or a Near Field Communication (NFC) device.

12. The grow module of claim 1 , further comprising at least one fan, at least one power supply, and a control system to control at least one of a plurality of lighting arrays, the at least one fan, and the at least one power supply, wherein the at least one power supply supplies power to the plurality of lighting arrays, the at least one fan, and the at least one sensor.

13. The grow module of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of lighting arrays comprise light emitting diode (LED) lights using power from the at least one power supply.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 10, 2024
From: ROBELL, KEVIN
To: MAUI GREENS, INC.
Reel/Frame 067676/0891 →
Continuity (7)
Division 17575977 · Jan 14, 2022
Provisional Application 63252533 · Oct 5, 2021
Provisional Application 63252525 · Oct 5, 2021
Provisional Application 63236512 · Aug 24, 2021
Provisional Application 63138391 · Jan 15, 2021
Provisional Application 63138389 · Jan 15, 2021
Related Publication 20240224885A1 · Jul 11, 2024
References Cited (79)
US 4505068A · Kaneko · 1985 [cited by applicant]
US 5022182A · Anderson · 1991 [cited by applicant]
US 5212904A · Green et al. · 1993 [cited by applicant]
US 5385589A · Kratky · 1995 [cited by examiner]
US 5524387A · Whisenant · 1996 [cited by examiner]
US 5557881A · Bouldin et al. · 1996 [cited by applicant]
US 6431460B1 · Lo · 2002 [cited by examiner]
US 6973885B2 · Fulgham · 2005 [cited by applicant]
US 9345201B2 · Sakura et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 9775330B1 · Chen · 2017 [cited by examiner]
US 10939623B2 · Miyahara et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 11483988B2 · Bertram et al. · 2022 [cited by applicant]
US 11533858B2 · Laeske · 2022 [cited by applicant]
US 11589520B2 · Ingram-Tedd et al. · 2023 [cited by applicant]
US 11617309B2 · Spiro · 2023 [cited by applicant]
US 11622512B2 · Chong et al. · 2023 [cited by applicant]
US 11684025B2 · Ouammi et al. · 2023 [cited by applicant]
US 11723318B2 · Rubin et al. · 2023 [cited by applicant]
US 11778957B2 · Jung et al. · 2023 [cited by applicant]
US 20040049974A1 · Poirier et al. · 2004 [cited by applicant]
US 20080110088A1 · Brusatore · 2008 [cited by applicant]
US 20120054061A1 · Fok · 2012 [cited by examiner]
US 20120060416A1 · Brusatore · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 20120124904A1 · Marchildon · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 20120218750A1 · Klase et al. · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 20120324788A1 · Sakura et al. · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 20130127329A1 · Komada et al. · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 20140069002A1 · Morgan · 2014 [cited by examiner]
US 20140366443A1 · Brusatore · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 20150027049A1 · Bijl et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 20150223418A1 · Collins et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 20160014977A1 · Esaki · 2016 [cited by examiner]
US 20160212947A1 · Uchiyama · 2016 [cited by examiner]
US 20160295820A1 · Aykroyd et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 20170099791A1 · Joseph et al. · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 20170135290A1 · Sahni et al. · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 20180035625A1 · Lindbo et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 20180235156A1 · Blair et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 20180359938A1 · Millar et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 20190133063A1 · Bateman et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 20190159415A1 · Bertram et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 20190191517A1 · Adams et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 20190246571A1 · Ingram-Tedd et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 20190307077A1 · Lert, Jr. · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 20190380283A1 · Chong · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 20200214228A1 · Cho et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20200229357A1 · Spiro · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20200236883A1 · Ambrosi · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20200260673A1 · Travaglini · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20200281129A1 · Anderson et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20200367455A1 · Vesty · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20200383277A1 · Tyink · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20210127593A1 · Krijn et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 20210185937A1 · Ashdown et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 20210259160A1 · Marder-Eppstein et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 20210277353A1 · Chen · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 20220192114A1 · Lee et al. · 2022 [cited by applicant]
US 20230148499A1 · Fujisawa et al. · 2023 [cited by applicant]
CN 203646206U · 2014 [cited by applicant]
CN 111937731A · 2020 [cited by applicant]
WO WO03028437A2 · 2003 [cited by examiner]
WO 2018208686A1 · 2018 [cited by applicant]
WO 2019025317A1 · 2019 [cited by applicant]
WO 2019074549A1 · 2019 [cited by applicant]
WO 2020018993A1 · 2020 [cited by applicant]
WO 2021055257A1 · 2021 [cited by applicant]
U.S. Appl. No. 63/138,389, filed Jan. 15, 2021, Kevin Robell. [cited by applicant]
U.S. Appl. No. 63/236,512, filed Aug. 24, 2021, Kevin Robell. [cited by applicant]
U.S. Appl. No. 63/252,525, filed Oct. 5, 2021, Kevin Robell. [cited by applicant]
U.S. Appl. No. 63/252,533, filed Oct. 5, 2021, Kevin Robell. [cited by applicant]
PCT/US 22/12466_International Search Report and Written Opinion_Jun. 27, 2022. [cited by applicant]
PCT/US2022/012451 International Search Report, Mar. 29, 2022 entire document. [cited by applicant]
PCT/US2022/012451 Written Opinion of the International Searching Authority, Mar. 29, 2022 entire document. [cited by applicant]
PCT/US2022/012483 International Search Report, Apr. 1, 2022 entire document. [cited by applicant]
PCT/US2022/012483 Written Opinion of the International Searching Authority, Apr. 1, 2022. [cited by applicant]
PCT/US2022/012547 International Search Report, Mar. 29, 2022 entire document. [cited by applicant]
PCT/US2022/012547 Written Opinion of the International Search Report, Mar. 29, 2022 entire document. [cited by applicant]
PCT/US2022/012574 International Search Report. Mar. 29, 2022 entire document. [cited by applicant]
PCT/US2022/012574 Written Opinion of the International Searching Authority, Mar. 29, 2022 entire document. [cited by applicant]